“Aphrodite, could you teach me that spell?” Nina asked, still speaking quietly.
The goddess startled, then a faint smile crossed her lips. “That’s not a bad idea. Could be useful if we get the chance.” She held up one hand and used what little magical strength she had to read how much power Nina had. After a moment her smile faded and she shook her head sadly. Nina’s heart sank.
“Good idea, but you aren’t powerful enough, I’m afraid. The best you could do is turn yourself solid, and then only for a few minutes. Not long enough to escape from here.” She seemed to read Nina’s disappointment. “Still, who knows? Even that small amount might prove useful.”
The goddess moved closer. “Here is how to do the spell,” she said and proceeded to whisper the instructions into Nina’s ear.
It wasn’t that hard. Nina tried practicing it, turning her smallest finger solid for a few seconds then letting the spell fail and watching her hand go back to being a ghostlike, indistinct blur.
A soft sound from the other end of the throne room caught Nina’s attention and she and Aphrodite turned to see the Titaness Eos enter the room. Her red hair gleamed in the constant ambient light and her eyes shimmered, but even from across the room Nina could see they shone with unshed tears and not happiness.
Astraios stood and approached her, his stance eager and hopeful. “Did you talk to him?” he asked, his rough voice softening as he spoke to her.
Eos nodded her head slowly, not meeting his eyes, and they could see the hope die in him, his hands clenching at his side. “And so,” he said harshly. “What does the great Hyperion say?”
Her voice was gentle but it carried clear across the room. “He is pleased with me, and pleased with you, but…” Her words trailed off into a broken sob.
Astraios turned away, his back a solid wall of anger. One fist struck the wall in front of him, making a booming noise that startled Nina.
“But as pleased as he is, he won’t agree to our being wed. I’m too far beneath you to be acceptable as his son-in-law.” Nina had no trouble hearing Astraios’ words as his voice rose in anger. “I risked my life in this plan of his, as did you, and our reward is to be forced apart.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder, her face clouded with sorrow. “Please, Aster, give him time. He needs to see how much we mean to each other. I’m sure my father will come around in time.”
He turned so suddenly her hand was thrown off. “Of course, princess.” He said the word as if it were a curse. “I’ll do anything you wish.” His lips drew into a grim line. “As always.”
Eos tried to reach for him again but Astraios pulled away from her and strode forcefully from the room, leaving her to collapse on a bench and burst into quiet tears as soon as he was gone.
Next to Nina, Aphrodite made a soft sound of dismay, and when Nina turned to look at her the goddess was shaking her head.
“So, there are star-crossed lovers even here.” She sighed. “I can’t even seem to get kidnapped without finding some kind of work to do.”
Nina had to resist a chuckle. Of course Aphrodite would decide that the Titans’ unfortunate love affair was hers to meddle in. After all, she’d meddled in human affairs and those of the gods. Even she and Pan were together as a result of Aphrodite’s actions, although the goddess still maintained it had been an accident that she’d hit them both with Eros’ arrow.
That is, she and Pan would be together if she were back on Olympus where she belonged. A sigh escaped her. She could have been in Pan’s arms now if she had believed in him more this morning, if the goddess hadn’t come to visit and, as a result, turned the Titans’ statues to flesh.
She glanced at the heart-shaped pendant on her chest, the arrowhead that had brought Pan and her together. That too had been a result of Aphrodite’s meddling, but a more positive result she couldn’t imagine. Or at least it would be if she could get free and find Pan.
But there were other issues. When she did find him would she be able to touch him or would she be forced to remain a spirit from now on? Stark fear attacked again and she huddled onto the bench. Suppose she couldn’t become solid again? How would she and Pan make love?
Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to…but oddly enough that didn’t strike her as painfully as she expected. In fact, it paled against the thought that she might not ever even see him again.
Huddling miserably on the bench, Nina missed first noticing the sound of distant shouting—men’s voices and the clash of metal weapons. But she came out of her funk when it got louder and grew nearer, and Nina sat upright just as a group of several Titans came into the throne room, pushing two smaller figures before them. Behind them strode the white-bearded Hyperion, followed by Astraios, who still wore the scowl he’d had when he’d left earlier. Another Titan followed them, holding a large net packed with items, an Olympian-sized short sword and a large hammer. He piled the items in the corner of the room then left to stand with the others.
Nina gasped as the figures were revealed to be Hep and Pan, their arms tied behind their backs. Both men looked only somewhat disheveled, as if they had been captured without much of a battle. Nina breathed a sigh of relief when she realized neither man seemed hurt.
Aphrodite made a sound of disgust and rolled her eyes. “Well, this is quite a rescue,” she said quietly to Nina. “They got here only to get themselves captured.”
“Maybe they told Zeus and the others what had happened to us,” Nina said hopefully. “Surely they didn’t just come here without backup.”
“I wouldn’t put it past Hephaestus to do exactly that. He’s always said we should try and make peace with the Titans.” She nodded at the pile of items in the corner. “Knowing him he probably intended to talk them out of holding us.”
Nina could see Pan’s gaze darting about, probably looking for her. She knew when he saw her…first his face brightened but then he paled when he realized he could see right through her. Finally, his gaze grew hot with anger and he struggled fruitlessly against the ropes holding him. One of the Titans reached over to catch hold of him and he spun away from the big hand.
“Let me go. I just want to talk to my wife.”
“Wife?” Hyperion laughed wickedly. “I wasn’t aware you were married, little god.” He grinned at Nina. “In fact, I seem to remember hearing that she’d turned you down.”
Nina looked at the clear floor and realized she could see all the way to Olympus. If she looked carefully she could even see Pan’s garden home. Hyperion, from his all-seeing throne, could probably see a whole lot more. He’d been spying on them all this time! Her cheeks burned when she remembered just what he might have seen her and Pan doing. Thank goodness there was a cover over the bathing pool where they’d made love the night before!
She raised her head and glared at the Titan king. “So you’ve been watching us. I suppose you’ve seen your daughter and Astraios as well.”
Now it was Hyperion’s turn to look angry. “They did what they did to help our people get free of this prison the Olympians made for us. We’re all tired of living in a glass box.”
“It wasn’t just to help your people, Hyperion,” Aphrodite interjected. “They love each other and you’re wrong to keep them apart.”
With a growl, Hyperion turned to sneer at her. “You mind your own business, goddess. It’s bad enough you get involved in other people’s love lives—you leave ours alone.”
“But I’m the goddess of love…it’s my job,” she said indignantly.
“Not around here.” He returned his attention to the bound gods. While Pan still struggled to be free, Hep stood patiently, apparently unconcerned by being outnumbered, outweighed, tied up and disarmed. Nina hoped he had some sort of plan to support his attitude of calm.
Hyperion leaned over them. “So, little gods, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?”
Hep shrugged. “We were just in the neighborhood. Thought we’d stop in. Maybe do some trading.”
The
Titan smiled, the expression almost looking genuine. “You have something to trade in equal value to a pair of goddesses…” He made a withering glance at Nina. “Well, all right, one goddess and one little nymph,” he shrugged. “Not worth that much, I suppose.”
Nina could feel Pan seethe over the slight to her and she wasn’t that far from seething herself. The nerve Hyperion had. Just because he was bigger, stronger, and in charge didn’t permit the Titan to be insulting. Well, she amended, maybe it did give him the ability, but it shouldn’t. He was just being a big bully.
“Still,” Hyperion continued. “They mean something to you two, otherwise you wouldn’t have come for them.”
“Yes, they mean much to us.” Hep continued to face the Titan as if his hands weren’t tied behind his back, leveling a steady gaze at those in the room around him. The big god’s calm presence steadied Nina, who wasn’t feeling all that composed at the moment. All she had to do was glance at Pan, still struggling against his bonds, and fury filled her.
Hep nodded to Nina and Aphrodite. “You’ve gotten our attention, Hyperion, and we will negotiate with you, but first I want you to release the women and send them back to their bodies. Stealing them was wrong and against all the rules. We don’t make war this way, through the kidnapping of the weak.”
Nina narrowed her eyes at Hep. Now she had a new target for her irritation. “Who’s he calling weak?” she muttered. “I’m no shrinking violet. I was a vengeance nymph for a long time before I got into the sex film business.”
That thought gave her an idea and she took another glance at the items piled over in the corner. There was a short sword that she recognized as a banshee sword. Once upon a time she’d been pretty good with one of those. Quietly Nina began to formulate a plan.
Hyperion strode within a foot of Hephaestus and stared down at him. Pan quit fighting his bonds and stepped closer to his friend, his face showing the same determination as Hep’s.
The Titan took no notice. “You’re in no position to bargain, little god. I want freedom for my people, all of those here. We’ve been held in this place too long.”
“I agree with that, but this is the wrong way to go about getting it,” Hep replied. “You should have petitioned Olympus…”
Hyperion swept a hand about, inches above Hep and Pan’s heads. Again Nina watched in amazement as neither god ducked, Pan’s hair ruffling under the wind created by the Titan’s near blow. Her admiration for both of them rose.
“I did petition Olympus, but they wouldn’t listen. They said I’d need an advocate to make my case.”
Hep nodded. “Very well. Once you release the women I’ll agree to be your advocate. I’m sure in a few weeks we’ll be able to do something…”
“No!” Hyperion roared, his face contorted with fury. “Not in a few weeks, not even in a few days. We want our freedom now!”
Hephaestus continued calmly, as if the Titan hadn’t interrupted him. “…we’ll need to document how much you’ve learned since being here. You will need to prove you can be upstanding citizens, will do good works on Olympus and will be able to visit Earth without revealing what you are. There are rules you know.”
“I’m king of the Titans, little god. I make the rules, I don’t have to follow them!”
“And that’s precisely why you were stuck here in the first place.” Hep shook his head sadly. “I’d hoped you’d learned something by now, but perhaps I was wrong. You must be able to fit into the worlds of others if you want to live there.”
“Father,” Eos broke in, her face troubled. “Perhaps the god is right. The benefits of freedom would more than make up for obeying a few rules. If we could win our release through negotiation there could be a lasting peace between our people. Otherwise there will be fighting and we could end up back here…or someplace even worse.”
Nina saw some of the other Titans nodding their agreement with Eos. Astraios frowned, but he seemed to be considering the wisdom of her words.
Only Hyperion glared at his daughter. “We hold these women whom these gods find precious. Why should we negotiate with them when we can simply take what we want?”
“Because it’s wrong to use force to take what one wants, Father. The god offers to help us, why not allow him to do so, without using force?”
Aphrodite leaned into Nina and whispered. “I like this Titaness more all the time. I think she should be united with the man she loves.” She turned her speculative stare on Astraios, who watched Eos with undisguised admiration and desire. Nina smothered a grin. Even reduced to a spirit state without any of her divine powers the goddess couldn’t help her inclination to play matchmaker.
“You must release Nina and Aphrodite, Hyperion,” Pan said. “Then we’ll help make your case to the Olympian court.”
Hyperion leaned over Pan. “You should be careful who you order around, god of the forests and fields.” He placed his hands on either side of Pan’s head. “You’re in my control now. I could easily steal your power and use it to break free from this prison.”
Immediately Nina was on her feet and gliding towards them. Hyperion spared her a quick glance and then laughed. “So, the little nymph thinks to get involved.” He struck at her with a heavy hand before Nina could duck away from him. Those in the room gasped, first in horror, then in relief his hand passed completely though her body without harm.
Nina felt relief as well. One thing about being disembodied—she had no body to be hurt. Still, she slid away from him as if frightened by what his hand had done to her, making sure her path took her closer to the pile of Olympian objects in the corner.
“You had no call to do that, Hyperion,” Pan said, his face furious. “She’s defenseless and has done nothing to you. She wasn’t even born when you were imprisoned here.”
Even Hyperion looked uncomfortable. “I don’t think I hurt her.” He looked around to see where she’d gotten to but Nina ducked behind the throne where he couldn’t see her. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to Pan. “She shouldn’t have interfered. No one should defy me. I’m the one in power here.”
“And that’s why you will always lose in the end, Hyperion,” Pan said. “You’re a bully and as soon as a bigger bully comes along you’ll not have anyone to help you.”
Nina crept closer to the short sword, keeping an eye on where Eos stood on the steps next to the throne. She had a plan, but she would have to act fast. No one was paying attention to her anymore, instead watching the confrontation between Pan and Hyperion. This was the chance she’d been looking for.
Experimentally, she turned her hand solid again and reached for the hilt of the sword. It felt cool and comforting against her palm, but without the rest of her arm she wouldn’t be able to lift it.
Aphrodite had said she would only have the power to turn solid for a short time. Nina hoped it would be long enough. In her mind Nina spoke the spell, tapping into the last of her power as she did so. Big magic was hard for her and she struggled to control the flow, but she felt herself turn heavy in Titanous’ normal gravity as her body solidified. As quietly as possible she lifted the sword from the floor, the hilt a familiar presence in her hand.
Nina smiled. Once a vengeance nymph, always a vengeance nymph.
She took a deep breath, preparing for the next step and pleased to feel her lungs expand. Now where was Eos?
Standing by herself, right by the steps to the throne, a perfect location. While everyone watched the Titan king arguing with the gods in the middle of the room, Nina dashed up the steps and behind the Titaness. The steps put her in the right position to throw one arm around Eos’ throat.
She swung the sword hard and it made a deafening scream, drowning out Eos’ cry. Everyone covered his or her ears from the eerie sound. Seconds later Nina had the sword’s edge against the Titan’s pulse. All those in the room turned to face her.
The larger woman’s hands tried to dislodge Nina’s arm, but she held on fast. She poured whatever power she h
ad left into the strength of her arm, anger and determination boosting it. Meanwhile, she held the sword’s edge against Eos’ neck, letting the blade catch the light to bounce it around the room so everyone saw it. Eos felt its sharp edge and froze in place, as did everyone else.
Astraios took two steps towards them before immobilizing as well, his sword held high. He stood so still, Nina could almost believe he’d returned to stone. Only the clenching and unclenching of his fist and the way his dark skin beaded with sweat told her he was still a living and breathing man.
“Now,” Nina said, letting all her fury at the Titans show in her voice. “You’ll disarm yourselves and release Pan and Hephaestus. Do it now or she dies.”
“You wouldn’t dare…” Hyperion said, his face paling at the threat to his daughter.
“Don’t believe that for a moment. You forget, Titan, that this nymph’s real name is Nemesis, former vengeance nymph, and that I am well practiced at using a sword to kill. It’s been a long time,” she admitted with a fierce grin, “but I think it will come back to me.”
As they hesitated she let the blade’s edge slide deeper against the Titaness’ skin, not breaking it, but enough to hurt. Eos’ eyes grew wide.
Pulling a wickedly sharp-looking knife, Hyperion grabbed Pan and held the knife to his chest. “Hurt my daughter and I’ll take some vengeance myself.” He glared at Nina. “I don’t think you want him dead.”
The sword trembled in Nina’s hand, but she held firm. “You’d sacrifice your daughter?”
“Would you sacrifice your lover?”
A vengeance nymph would…Nina thought. That’s who she was supposed to be—a woman incapable of love and unable to forgive…except that wasn’t who she was anymore. She loved Pan and seeing him in danger nothing mattered but his safety. Not who she was supposed to be, her attempt to free them from the Titans, and not anything from either of their pasts.
Divine Interventions: Nemesis of the Garden Page 16